Postcard from Prague

Looking down on the city of Prague absolutely took my breath away. I hope this postcard from Prague inspires you to visit.

Prague from above

There are plenty of opportunities in Prague to see the beautiful city from above. You can view Prague in all its spectacular glory from Petrin Hill, from Prague Castle, or even from the top of one of the Charles Bridge Towers.

Petrin Hill Observation Tower

One of the best views of Prague is from the top of the Petrin Hill Observation Tower.

If you climb to the top of Petrin Hill you’ll get a stunning view of Prague from above. But that’s not all. At the top of the hill there’s a tower that looks very much like a mini version of the Eiffel Tower. It’s called the Petrin Hill Observation Tower. You can climb the 299 steps that wind around the exterior of the tower to the top for an amazing panoramic view of the city.

Funicular

If you don’t fancy the climb up Petrin Hill, jump on the Prague Funicular and you’ll be at the top in no time.

Memorials and Statues

Prague has statues and memorials situated all over the city. Some are thought provoking and moving like the Memorial to the Victims of Communism.

Others just seem a bit weird, like Proudy.

Proudy is an automated sculpture by David Cerny which was installed in Prague in 2004. The two men robotically wiggle their metal junk around to spell out quotes from Czech literature with their pee. Not only that, they are peeing into a map of the Czech Republic. Controversial.

River Walks

Vltava River is the longest river in the Czech Republic. It separates Prague’s old town on the east side of the river, and new town on the west. A stroll along the Vltava River bank is really pretty, some might say romantic. It’ll help you get your bearings and you’ll discover interesting monuments and memorials. You might also see a funky sculpture of a jazz band.

Charles Bridge

One of Prague’s most famous landmarks, Charles Bridge, connects Prague’s old and new towns. Built in 1357, Charles Bridge is Prague’s oldest bridge. It’s fully pedestrianised and decorated with 18th Century statues so there’s plenty to see as you saunter the 515 metres across the Vltava River. You can climb the towers, one at each side of the bridge, for a view of the bridge and of the city.

Prague Castle

We visited Prague Castle on our second attempt, because on our first attempt the line to get in seemed a mile long. My advice is to go early in the morning. We did that the second time and avoided all queues.

Again the view of the city from Prague Castle was mesmerizing.

Dancing House

The Dancing House looks quite out of place amidst the historical architecture that lines the Vltava River, so its unique design is its attraction. It’s really just a wonky looking office building although the top floor is home to the Ginger and Fred Resturaunt which is the only part of the building which is open to the public.

John Lennon Wall

The John Lennon Wall is a cool place to visit. I guess its just a wall, but since the 1980’s it’s been painted with John Lennon inspired graffiti and Beatles lyrics.

Astronomical Clock

The Astronomical Clock in Prague’s old town square is the oldest working astronomical clock in the world. And it’s pretty impressive!

Underground Tour / Underground Prague

Did you know that underneath the city of Prague is another city, an underground Prague? I didn’t.

Here’s the brief back story. In the 13th century, Prague was quite a few metres lower than it is today. When the New Town was being constructed, they built the street level several metres higher to prevent the city from flooding. Much of the old, lower city still exists underground.

I’m fascinated with all things underground – dungeons, prisons, caves and creepy little crevices. So I couldn’t resist a tour of Underground Prague.

Beer

Everyone knows Prague is famous for its beer, right? We got a ‘beer taster’ in U Kunstatu bar. My favourite by far was the sweet Cherry Porter. It was delicious.

For more, check out my interrailing adventure video highlights.